Blog Topic | June 5

Hard Skills v Soft Skills

Soft v Hard Skills

Research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Centre concluded that 85% of job success comes from employees having well developed soft and people skills, and only 15% of job success comes from technical skills and knowledge (hard skills).

Soft skills are those personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interpersonal interactions, job performance and career prospects. Hard skills describe a person’s ability to perform a certain type of task or activity.

Anecdotally, “hard skills will get you an interview, but you need soft skills to get and keep the job”.

Hard skills (eligibility factors) are generally listed at the start of a candidate’s resume, while soft skills (suitability factors) only become evident in a face to face meeting.

A Harrison Assessment will test both the eligibility and suitability of the candidate.

Award-Winning Job Suitability Assessment is NOT a Personality Test

Behavioural assessments have become increasingly popular due to the importance of understanding how an employee or job candidate may behave. Since poor performance is usually related to behavioural issues, measuring job behaviour is critical.

Personality tests are very general, typically measuring only 5 to10 personality factors, with no specific reference to the job in question. In contrast, Harrison Assessments’ award winning suitability assessment measures engagement, motivation, interpersonal skills and retention factors related to a specific job.

Here are just a few of the characteristics the 20 minute Smart Questionnaire measures:

  • Job specific positive and negative behavioural traits
  • Job enjoyment factors
  • Qualifications and experience (eligibility)
  • Probable engagement with the job
  • Probable likelihood of retention
  • Enhance the interview with suggested questions to ask
  • Replicate your top performers with benchmarking
  • Customise behavioural competencies for better organisational fit

We consider these factors the key to finding an employee, the right employee!

If Harrison Assessments would be useful in your business, call us.

 

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